Improvement in barbed fence-wires



8.1-1. & J. M. St. JOHN.

Barbed Fence-Wire.

No. 205,697. Patented July 2,1878

' IJVV'ENZORS, 8175 w JIM; swam-L Jlttarriey WITNESSES N.FE|'E.RSvFHDTO-LITNOGRAPNER, WASIINGTON. D C.

UNIT-ED PATENT QFFICE.

SPENCER H. ST. JOHN AND JUSTUS M. ST. JOHN, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOlVA,

ASSIGNORS TO J. S. MODANIEL, D. E. MCDANIEL, AND S. H. ST. JOHN, OF

SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARBED FENCE-WIRES.

Specification forming part ofLcttcrs Patent No. 205,697, dated July 2,1878; application filed March 21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SPENCER H. ST. J OHN and J Us'rUs M. ST. JOHN, bothof the city of Cedar Rapids, Linn county, and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Barbed Wires forFences,of which the following is a specification:

The object of our invention is to produce barbed wire which shallpossess in the greatest degree the adantages of strength, elasticity,and beauty of appearance, with a perfect and secure retention of thebarbs in place and at right angles to the wire, together with the meritof extreme cheapness in manufacture.

The invention consists of a fence-cable composed of three strands,provided with pointed barbs made from two pieces of metal, bent at ornear the center to form a right angle, and fastened to the fence-wire bythe central strand being interposed between the angles of oppositebarbs, and the two outer strands pressing into the angles ofintersection formed by the crossing of said barbs, as will be moreparticularly described hereinafter.

Inthe accompanying sheetof drawings, Figure 1 represents asection of thewire in per-spec tive; Fig. 2, the same View of a modification of thebarb; Fig. 3, a cross-section of Fig. 1, taken in the line 3 2; Fig. 4,a similar View of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a plate of metal and barb, showing themanner of forming the same; and Fig. 6, the same with another style ofbarb-strip.

A represents the fence wire or cable composed of three strands. Acrossthe central strand a are crotched the barb-pieces c c 0 c, as indicatedin Figs. 3 and 4 more particularly. These pieces cross the central wireand pass each other from opposite directions. Being bent into, or nearlyinto, a right angle, when thus put upon the wire the prongs of thefourpoint barb so formed stand at a like angle to the fence-wire, withtheir points equidistant. To retain them in this position, the two outerstrands b b are brought into the angle of intersection made by thecrossing of the barbpieces upon each other, and the whole is drawntightly together by twisting the wires or otherwise. By this means aperfectlock is formed upon the barb, so that nothing short of thebreaking of one of the strands at this point, or the bending into theform of a staple of each part of the barb, can release it from the claspof the several wires and destroy its effectiveness.

The form of barb-strip indicated in Fig. 1 is a simple angular piece ofthin metal, pointed at each end. Two of these are used, and are placedside by side, as shown in Fig. 1. I

The style illustrated in Fig. 2 is so modified in form as to admit ofthe two parts crossing upon each other in two ways, making a completeunion of the parts, so that neither can slip away from the other. Thepieces are cut into the ott'set or zigzag outline of the one representedin Fig. 6. Thus formed, the respective parts interlock, the prong of onepiece passing on one side and its companion prong on the other side ofthe respective prongs of the other part. Themanner in which the pieceshalve together is plainly seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 4. Made inthis way, the space which the barb occupies is materially reduced, andany tendency to slip upon the wire is perfectly obviated by the closerapproach of the twisted part of the same to the barb.

It will be apparent that the barb must stand at a right angle to thefence-wires, as the same are bent at this angle across the center, andthis angle follows the direction of the central wire, which at thispoint is nearly or quite in direct line with the cable.

The benefit arising from this in'iprovement is manifest over those outmetal barbs which are modified in the direction of their projec- 7 tionby the sinnosities of atwo-strand wire, or wire barbs which follow anatural slant in winding around the main wire, both of which are lesseffective and more subject to be bent by stock with impunity than adirect outwardly-extending barb.

The increased strength of a three-strand wire over a single or doubleone is understood from the natural tendency of iron or steelto increasein strength in disproportion to its size, so that while the weight ofthe three strands may be the same, its strength is greater than that ofa less number of larger wire.

By means of the opening made at the insertion of the barb a certainamount of elasticity is imparted to the cable, which accommodates it tothe contrary influences of heat and cold.

In other barbs cut from thin metal there is more or less attendantwaste; but it will be seen that in the manufacture of this barb there islittle or no loss. This advantage, in connection with the fact that noexpensive appliance is necessary to fasten the barb to the wire orwires, renders the cost of construction much less than in the case ofmany of the barbed wires now in use.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

Fence-wire having barbs composed of two angled pieces crotched over acentral wire from opposite sides, and held in place by other wirespressing into the angle of the barbs intersection, substantially in themanner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, witness our handsthis 14th day of March A. D. 1878.

SPENCER H. ST. JOHN. JUSTUS M. ST. JOHN.

Attest:

R. H. GILMORE, W. A. YOUNG.

